Walter Frank Davidson, 1851-1924

• Born: 24 August 1851 in Jefferson County, Wisconsin
• Died: 27 November 1924 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
• Parents: Daniel S. Davidson and Agnes Blacklock
• Wife: Mary Ann McRae (md. 1 January 1876 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah)
• Children: Walter Daniel Davidson, Franklin John Davidson, Agnes Davidson, James Matthew Davidson, Florence Davidson

1851 August 24
Born in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, sixth child of Daniel S. Davidson and Agnes Blacklock  [1]

1 October 1862
Age 11
Death of mother, Agnes Blacklock Davidson in Oakland, Alameda, California.  [2]

2 July 1870
Age 18
Living in Alpine County, California, with parents Daniel and Ellen Davidson, and with siblings William (age 24), James (age 22), Agnes (age 11), Peter (age 4), and Franklin (age 2)  [3]

1876 January 1
Age 24
Marries Mary Ann McRae in Salt Lake City, Utah.

1876 October 17
Age 26
Birth of first child, Walter Daniel Davidson  [4]

1878 June 29
Age 26
Birth of second child, John Franklin Davidson  [5]

1880 February 8
Age 28
Birth of third child, Agnes Davidson  [6]

1882 May 2
Age 30
Birth of fourth child, James Matthew Davidson  [7]

1885 October 13
Age 34
Birth of fifth and last child, Florence Davidson  [8]

1900 June 8 & 9
Age 49
Living in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah with wife Mary A. and children Walter D. (age 24), John F. (age 22), Agnes (age 20), James M. (age 18), and Florence (age 17).  [9]

1901 December 14
Age 50
Death of father, Daniel S. Davidson  [10]

1910 April 26-30
Age 58
Living in Salt Lake City with wife Mary A. [11]

1920
Age 68
Living in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah with wife Mary A. and son Walter D. (age 42).  Lists his occupation as retired stock grower.  [12]

1924 November 27
Age 73
Dies in Salt Lake City, Utah. [1]

1924 November 30
Is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah. [1]

Salt Lake Telegram 1924-11-28, p. 20

Note: His death record says he was a "sheep/cattle raiser."

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[1]  "Utah, Salt Lake County Death Records, 1908-1949," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NQ4L-ZQ8 : accessed 06 Mar 2013), Walter Davidson, 1924.

[2]  www.findagrave.com, digital images (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=63061872&PIpi=36885277 : accessed 29 January 2012), .

[3]  "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MN66-68V : accessed 06 Mar 2013), Walter Davidson in household of Daniel Davidson, California, United States; citing p. 1, family 3, NARA microfilm publication M593, FHL microfilm 545568.

[4]  "Utah, Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F85H-Y3T : accessed 06 Feb 2013), Walter Daniel Davidson, 17 Oct 1876.

[5]  "Utah, Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F852-53N : accessed 06 Mar 2013), Walter Davidson in entry for John Franklin Davidson, 22 Jun 1878.

[6]  Gravestone for Agnes D. Siddoway, found at http://billiongraves.com/pages/record/AgnesDSiddoway/223321.  Viewed online March 2013.

[7]  "Utah, Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F855-3DB : accessed 06 Mar 2013), Walter Davidson in entry for James Mathew Davidson, 02 May 1882.

[8]  Gravestone for Florence D. Derr at BillionGraves.  http://billiongraves.com/pages/record/FLORENCEDDERR/225401

Viewed online March 2013.

[9]  "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MMRG-MTG : accessed 06 Mar 2013), Walter Davidson, 1900.

[10]  "Utah, Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F85R-2J8 : accessed 06 Feb 2013), Daniel S. Davidson, 1818.

[11]  "United States Census, 1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M5XQ-1TY : accessed 07 Mar 2013), Walter Davidson, Salt Lake City Ward 1, Salt Lake, Utah; citing sheet 14A, family 34, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1375619.

[12]  "United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8PK-8Z5 : accessed 06 Mar 2013), Walter Davidson, , Salt Lake, Utah; citing enumeration district (ED) , sheet 7B, family 153, NARA microfilm publication T625, FHL microfilm 1821867.

Robert Pearce, 1817-1885, and Sarah Brown, 1816-1898

Robert Pearce:

• Born 13 Jun 1817 Porlock, Somerset, , England
• Died 18 Oct 1885 Paradise, Cache, Utah
• Parents: Thomas Pearce and Mary Snow
• Spouse: Sarah Brown (md. 28 Dec 1844 Porlock, Somerset, , England)
• Children: Elizabeth Pearce, Mary Pearce, Sarah Pearce, Robert Pearce, Mary Pearce, Thomas Joseph Pearce, Sr., Charles Pearce

Sarah Brown:

• Christened 22 Dec 1816 Porlock, Somerset, , England
• Died 13 Apr 1898 Paradise, Cache, Utah
• Parents: John Brown and Sarah Bale

History of Robert Pearce

"Robert Pearce crossed the ocean on the John Boyd ship with William W. Cluff, leader of the company. Left Liverpool 30 April 1863 and landed in New York June 1st 1863 and arrived at Florence June the 12, 1863, Cross the plains with Captain W.B. Preston. Left July 9, 1863 with 55 wagons, 300 souls and arrive in Salt Lake Sept 10, 1863.

"Early Settlers of Paradise Utah, they first settled in hills in the southern end of the valley. The Indians were bad stealing their horses and cattle. They would come off the mountains and take their stock. The settlers desired to move 5 miles north where the country was more open so they could see the Indians coming. They called this place Paradise.

"Grandfather took an active part helping to protect the settlers against the Indians. He was a shoemaker, this was his trade in England and Wales, where he joined the church. He also was a gardener, frit and a farmer and stock raiser.

"He was active in the church work. He was true to his agreement, Grandmother that when promised to have a pair of shoes ready at a certain time he would stay up all night and have them ready. He sewed all the shoes by hand. And the boots and the half soles on with pegs.

"Robert Pearce ordained a teacher
"Ordained a priest - no date
"Ordained an elder Oct 21, 1872 by Joseph F. Smith at Salt Lake City, Utah
"ordained a Seventy Jan 7, 1884 by Robert Boxter at Paradise
"Set apart as a President of the 62nd quorum of Seventies Nov 28, 1891 by Pres. J. D. Feldjsted at Hyrum
"Set apart as President to the 118th quorum of Seventies Feb 6, 1899, Joseph G. Kimball being mouth in company with Pres. Jos. McMurrin
"Ordained a High Priest in the Hyrum Stake of Zion Feb 1, 1908 by Elder George Bradshaw Hyrum, Cache Co. Utah

"Robert Pearce baptized Sep 14 1860 at Cardiff Glamorganshire So Wales.
"Rebaptized Sep 1863 at Old Paradise Cache Co. Utah by Elder William Humphries
"Reconfirmed Sept 1863 by Bro. David James
"Rebaptized into United Order at Paradise Cache Co. Utah"

copied from records of Robert and Annie Marie Somes Pearce

* * *

Early English Pioneers Help to Found Paradise
By Viola S. Welch

"Among the first settlers were Robert Pearce and his wife Sarah Brown Pearce. He was born June 13, 1817, in Porlock, West Somerset, England. When he was a boy, he was apprenticed to a shoemaker, where he learned the trade which he followed throughout his life.

"On September 28, 1844, he married Sarah Brown. He joined the LDS Church and was baptized May 6, 1851.

"They were parents of seven children, four girls and three boys.

"In their married life they had many joys and some sorrows. Two of their daughters died and were buried in England. The rest of their family had the privilege of coming to America. This was the dream and hope of this family to come to America and eventually to Utah.

"Robert had a brother who worked for a brewery. They used a horse-drawn dray to haul the huge barrels. Some times the boys would get a chance to ride the drays. They used large Clydesdale horses for this purpose. The horses were hitched tandem and the men walked and led them. Some of the horses weighed as much as 2100 pounds. The men would take a few long hairs from the horse's tail, then Robert would knot them together for fishing line. Then would follow a nice afternoon of poaching. In England the gentry own all the land and brooks, so that was another incentive to come to America.

"Taught To Read
"His oldest son Robert was put in kindergarten when he was three years old. They were taught to read and write at an early age. When he was eight, he was able to read so well that his father would say "Bob, you read me the newspaper while I work." During this time he joined the fife and drum band. He learned the rudiments of music which were very helpful to him later in life. When he was ten he had to go to work at sewing and pegging shoes which was done by hand. This ended his schooling.

"This way of life continued until sometime in 1862 when they were able to sail to America. They crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel that took nearly six weeks to cross. Think of being out on the sea for six weeks at the mercy of the elements with a family of children. After some time of wind and weather they had crossed the wide Atlantic and came to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. They sailed up this mighty river and crossed over to New York, then to Council Bluffs, Iowa.

"Arriving in Council Bluffs too late in the year to start overland across the plains to Utah, they decided to remain there for the winter. They rented a house and he set up his shop to have some income for the winter. They waited anxiously for the main thing in their lives to go ever onward in their travels until their destination and ambition was accomplished, a little home in the mountains of Utah.

"Move West
"Finally spring came and caravans began moving west. They were starting on a thousand mile trip over the vast plains, across rivers and through rugged mountains where roads were merely a name. What courage and faith they must have had to face this!

"Fifteen miles a day was good traveling for the lumbering oxen. His wife walked nearly all the way. The older children walked most of the time. A great many thing happened on this long journey, many pleasant and some sad. The wagons were loaded with priceless possessions they would need in their new home. It was necessary to supplement their food supply with game, fish and fruit as they traveled along.

"After many weary months on the plains, they saw the sight that cheered the travelers. In the dim distance they got the first glimpse of the Rockies. Day by day these majestic mountains with their snow capped peaks piercing the blue sky became clearer as they approached. It was a signal and promise that their goal day by day was coming nearer. Now they were in the mountains, abundant with game and fish, plenty of wood for fires and sparkling streams of cold water. Their hearts were cheered with the assurance that they were nearing the promised land.

"On a day about two weeks out from Salt Lake, Robert Jr. was allowed to drive one of the wagons which was loaded with kegs of nails for use in building their homes.

"This brave couple with their five children were delighted with their first sight of the Salt Lake Valley.

"Settle in Ogden
"It was getting autumn time so he decided to set up shop for the winter in Ogden. During his stay there he purchased a team of oxen and a wagon. The church leaders advised the family to join the saints in Cache Valley so they loaded their belongings and started for their final destination in Paradise. They journeyed north to Brigham City, up Brigham Canyon, over the old Devil's Gate Pass, on over the mountains and down into the land of their dreams. Looking down from the top, they saw spread out before them one of the beauty spots of Utah, a verdant valley with sparkling streams, teaming with trout, wild fruit abundant everywhere, wild chickens and game for the taking and free land for a home. It was a long dry stretch over the divide and down into the valley. The end of their journey in old Paradise (Avon) was just a few miles away. Before the sun had set they rounded the last hill, crossed the last river and looming on the horizon was the place they traveled so far to see. It was just a group of log cabins and a bunch of goodly people who had traveled the same dreary road but they were met with love and sincere friendship and a hearty welcome. They were a free people in a free land where everyone was equal.

"Time was getting short until winter set in. They chose a site near a hill so they could make a half dugout and half cabin. Some of the men went into the canyon for logs and poles and others were busy digging the dugout. By community effort they soon had a snug place to live.

"Fall Harvest
"The colony was in their fall harvest so everyone turned out. The grain was cut with cradles and it took a strong man to handle one. They swept the grain around into little bundles, then with wooden hand rakes. Some of the men and women raked them into little bundles, ready for tiers. They grasped a bunch of wheat straws and whipped them around a bundle; the twisted the ends under. Many of the precious heads were dropped so the children and women gleaned them one by one. In this way they harvested twelve bushels which went a long way toward their bread stuff for the winter.

"Robert was allotted his land but he couldn't do any farming until next year so he helped the other men and got a good supply of firewood for the coming winter. He also kept the community shoes and harnesses all mended. So went their first winter in old Paradise.

"Among the neighbors living in the old fort were J. G. Crapo, Ahrin Monteith, Barnard White, William Woodhead, James Lofthouse, Enoch Rawlins, Edward Davenport, John Sperry, Jerome Remington, Winslow Farr, James Bishop, Elijah Tams, Charles Rawlins, Leonard Crapo, Dr. Ellis and Albert Crapo.

"On account of Indian uprisings and warnings, the Blackhawk Indian war in southern Utah and an increasing hostility of the Indians in northern Utah, it was thought advisable by Ezra T. Benson and Peter Maugham that the settlement be moved three miles to the north to the present site of Paradise. The country was more open here and settlers could protect themselves better. Such a move involved a considerable sacrifice to the settlers, but they made the move in the spring of 1868.

"Farming was a new occupation Robert had to learn and this with the earnings from his trade, he made a good living. His health began to fail but he kept going at light work in his garden and his trade. He died October 18, 1885, in Paradise.

"When we think of the hardships and sacrifice our noble pioneers endured we wonder, but we look at the vast number of posterity left, we know their mission was for a purpose. Their seed is rooted in the west and will live on forever. So we can say thanks to our forefathers who had the courage and made the effort and we can live a little easier in the heritage they left us."

From
THE HERALD JOURNAL
Logan, Cache County, Utah
Monday February 26, 1968

Pierre or Peter Crapo, about 1670-1756

• Born about 1670 in Bordeaux, France
• Died 1756 in Rochester, Plymouth, Massachusetts
• Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Crapeau
• Spouse: Penelope White (md. 31 May 1704)
• Children: Francis Crapo, Susanna Crapo, Peter Crapo, John Crapo, Mary Crapo, Elizabeth Crapo, Rebeccah Crapo, Hezekiah Crapo

Pierre Crapo

"Legend says Pierre was living with an uncle in Bordeaux, France and ran away and hid on board a French Warship of which his brother was Captain. The vessel was wrecked off the shores of Cape Cod and four men and the boy Peter (as he was called in America) were saved in a boat. Peter was then about 10 or 12 years old and his brother (Captain Crapo) bound him out to Francis Coombs and he, Captain Crapo returned to France.

"After Peter became of age, he acquired considerable land in Rochester, part of which he bought off his father-in-law (Samuel White) and that part has been in possession of his descendants from 1734 until the time this record was compiled (about 1874, I think). Pierre (or Peter) lived near the shore of Sniptuit Pond in Rochester. His wife, Penelope White, was the great-grand-daughter of William White and Susanna Fuller White who came over on the Mayflower. Their descendants married into the best families of the land and they were prominent in helping establish laws and colonies and establishing peace with the Indians. Some fought and died in the Revolutionary War. We have much to be proud of and live up to in the heritage they left to us."

--This story was written by Aunt Net (as she was called). Her name was Lynette and was a daughter of Jonathan Collins Crapo.

* * *

Pierre or Peter Crapo and Penelope White

"The Crapo family were originally from Bordeaux, France. The early Crapo's of America were fishermen, lumbermen and farmers.

"Pierre or Peter Crapo, a boy of about 10 or 12 years of age, was the first Crapo in America. Peter was an orphan living with his aunt and uncle at Bordeaux, France. He had a brother Nicholas who was captain of a ship in the French navy. This brother's ship was in port being overhauled and supplied for a cruise somewhere but no one, even the captain, knew where.

"Nicholas took his little brother Peter around and showed him a good time. Peter wanted to sail with him, but he captain said "no". The time arrived to sail. The captain took sealed orders and sailed. On the third day out the orders were opened and they found they were to go to America where the French had colonies.

"A day or two later Peter came out of hiding among the rigging where he had stowed away with a bottle of water and some food that he had carried onto the ship. Nicholas could not go back now so he was forced to take his brother along with him or throw him overboard.

"The ship, some weeks later, arrived at Boston harbor and anchored. One night a big storm blew in off the Atlantic and tore the ship from its anchors and drove the wooden ships on the rocks at Cape Cod and wrecked it completely. All on board were cast into the water.

"When morning came the wreckage of the ship was lying along the shore near the town of New Bedford and on the shore were 6 persons. The Captain, his brother, Peter, and four sailors. The Captain had lashed Peter to a floating mast and hung on to the ropes until the mast floated in the gale to the shore. The Captain found a home for Peter with a farmer signing papers for him until he was 21 years of age. He said he would write, but was never heard from by Peter. (Nicholas sailed back to France to report the loss of his ship.)

"When Peter became 21, he was his own master. He got some land, bought a house, and married an English girl, Penelope White, who was the daughter of Samuel White and Rebecca Green. Samuel was the son of Resolved White and Judith Vassell. Resolved White was the son of William White and Susanna Fuller White who came to America on the Mayflower.

"During that first hard winter after the landing of the Mayflower many of the Pilgrims died and among them was William White and also Elizabeth Barker Winslow, the wife of Edward Winslow, Jr. Later Edward Winslow, Jr. Married Susanna (the widow of Wm. White) and took her two sons Resolved and Perigrine to live with them. Later both sons married and reared families. Resolved married Judith Vassall and they had eight children, one of them Samuel, the father of Penelope White, who married Peter the first American ancestor.

"Peter reared a large family. A strange coincidence was when Peter's oldest daughter Susanna married one of the four sailors who had all remained in America after being shipwrecked. Susanna's husband was 75 years old. They reared a family of 13 children and he outlived his wife. He died at the age of 110 years. (Their work has been done in the temple. His name was De Maranville.)

"The fifth generation from Peter (Pierre) Crapo is Jonathon Collins Crapo. He was born 4 February 1830 at New Bedford, Massachusetts. His parents had a large family and when my great-grandfather was about twelve years old he went to live with his grand-parents Charles Crapo and Sally Lucas Crapo, who lived a few miles out of the city of New Bedford on a farm.

"He helped them at various chores and also delivered milk into the city. He remained with his grandparents until he was twenty, when his father told him that they (the rest of the family) had heard the Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly called Mormons) and they believed its teachings and had been baptized and were preparing to go west with the family and he would like Jonathon to go with them. He went west with them but did not join the church until after they arrived in Utah. His grandparents felt pretty bad and thought they were disgracing the family by joining the Mormons. Jonathon received a letter from one of his aunts begging him to leave the Mormons and come back and join the Seventh Day Adventists. The aunt was getting real old and was much concerned about Jonathon who she said was more like a brother than a nephew. She hoped he had never been so foolish as to join the Mormons and if he had she felt it was not too late to repent and come to Jesus, who would forgive. The dear old soul seemed very sincere and very devout in her belief.

"Joseph George Crapo and his family (wife Mary Hicks Collins) were the only Crapo's to join the Church that we know of.

"The Crapo genealogy for those in America has mostly been compiled and the temple work done. In the Crapo history we find that many of them fought in the Revolutionary War and one was killed in the Battle of Bull Run. The family connects up with the Edward Winslow Family in two places. It also connects up with many other prominent families of early settlement of America. From Massachusetts they scattered into Maine and Michigan and New York and later almost all over the United States."

--From a history written by Janette L. Crapo Miller and a letter sent to Jean May by Ralph Harmon Crapo.

http://younginfo.net/Young/Crapo/CrapoHistory.htm